Miami Dolphins add to cornerback depth with Justin Coleman, source says

The Miami Dolphins are adding former Detroit Lions cornerback Justin Coleman on a one-year deal worth up to $2.75 million, a source confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday.

The Dolphins also agreed to a two-year contract with former New England Patriots defensive tackle Adam Butler, sources confirmed to ESPN.

Coleman, 27, started 16 games — mostly in the slot — in his two seasons with the Lions before he was released, breaking up 14 passes with one interception. He also had three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery, all in 2019.nfl nike jersey cheap

He is expected to compete with Noah Igbinoghene and Nik Needham for a backup spot with the Dolphins.3

Coleman signed a four-year, $36 million contract with the Lions during free agency in 2019, making him one of the league’s highest-paid slot corners at the time.

He went undrafted out of Tennessee and has played two seasons each in New England, Seattle and Detroit, appearing in 79 games (29 starts) and breaking up 41 passes with four interceptions and two returned for touchdowns. He also has forced four fumbles, recovered four fumbles and scored a touchdown on a fumble recovery.

Butler spent the first four years of his NFL career in New England, including two with Dolphins coach Brian Flores. He joins what’s become a stout Dolphins defensive tackle room with Christian Wilkins, Raekwon Davis and Zach Sieler.

Butler, who had four sacks and six tackles for loss last season, is likely to take on a rotational role adding depth and competition. He will replace Dolphins defensive tackle Davon Godchaux, who agreed to a larger deal with the Patriots on Monday.cheap nike nfl jerseys wholesale

In another move Wednesday, the Dolphins reached agreement with veteran wide receiver Robert Foster, his agency, SportsTrust Advisors, announced. Foster has averaged 20.1 yards per catch in limited NFL opportunities with the Buffalo Bills and Washington Football Team and seems set to compete for a roster spot. Foster played his last year at Alabama with Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz agree to 5-year extension worth up to $195M

Utah Jazz All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell has agreed to a five-year designated rookie extension worth up to $195 million, his agents Ty Sullivan and Austin Brown of CAA Sports told ESPN.

Mitchell, 24, rapidly developed into one of the most explosive and popular young players in the NBA, an instantaneous franchise cornerstone for the Jazz organization.

The deal includes a 30% escalator clause that would turn the guaranteed $163 million base into $195 million should Mitchell be voted onto one of the three All-NBA teams, sources said. The deal also includes a player option after the fourth year, sources told ESPN’s Bobby Marks.new nike nfl jerseys cheap

Talks moved quickly on the maximum extension, with Sullivan and Brown finalizing terms on Sunday morning with Jazz president Dennis Lindsey and general manager Justin Zanik, sources said.

Mitchell has career averages of 22.7 points and 4.0 assists in the regular season and has been even better in the playoffs.4

Mitchell has averaged 27.3 points in 23 career playoff games, including 36.3 points in last season’s seven-game, first-round loss to the Denver Nuggets, when he joined Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson as the only players in NBA history to have a pair of 50-plus-point games in a playoff series.

During his Rookie of the Year runner-up campaign, Mitchell became the first rookie since Carmelo Anthony to be the leading scorer for a playoff team with a winning record, averaging 20.5 points per game. His scoring average has increased each season. He averaged 24.0 points per game last season while also setting career bests in assists (4.3 per game), field goal percentage (.449), 3-point percentage (.366) and free throw percentage (.863).

Utah expects to have one of the best teams in the Western Conference this season, a roster that’ll include the return of forward Derrick Favors in free agency and the re-signing of guard Jordan Clarkson.

Mitchell is the second member of the 2017 NBA draft class to commit to a max extension. Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox agreed to a five-year, $163M guaranteed deal that could also escalate to $195 million by reaching the All-NBA escalators.cheap nfl nike jerseys china

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum is another young All-Star member of the draft class expected to be offered a designated maximum contract extension.

Source: Boston Celtics, Jayson Tatum agree to max rookie extension worth up to $195M

Jayson Tatum has agreed to a five-year extension worth up to $195 million with the Boston Celtics, a source told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The full designated rookie max of $163 million could go up to nearly $200 million with All-NBA escalators, sources said.

Tatum’s agent, Jeff Wechsler, and the Celtics finalized details Sunday, the source said.cheap nfl jerseys china nike

Tatum will receive the 30% max that would boost the contract’s value to $195 million only if he makes first-, second- or third-team All-NBA next season, per sources. Tatum was a third-team All-NBA selection this past season. He also will receive a player option in the deal, a sourced told Wojnarowski.3

The No. 3 pick in the 2017 NBA draft, Tatum made his first All-Star team this past season, as he blossomed into the face of the Celtics while leading the franchise to the Eastern Conference finals again.

Tatum, 22, averaged career highs of 23.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.4 steals this past season for Boston, and boosted his 3-point attempt rate from 3.9 per game in 2018-19 to 7.1 per game. He scored 39 points while guarding Kawhi Leonard in a win in Boston over the LA Clippers before the All-Star break, then scored 41 points at Staples Center in a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers shortly afterward.

“The kid is special,” LeBron James said after that Feb. 23 meeting. “Obviously, that’s a reason he’s a first-time All-Star, and he’s been special all year.”

Boston now has Tatum and fellow wing Jaylen Brown under contract through the 2023-24 season, giving the Celtics one of the best young foundations in the league. The star duo has already made two trips to the Eastern Conference finals together and is looking to get Boston back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010.nfl cheap jerseys nike

Tatum’s extension caps a busy opening 48 hours of free agency for Boston in which the Celtics lost Gordon Hayward to the Charlotte Hornets, traded away Enes Kanter, and signed Tristan Thompson and Jeff Teague as free agents.

As New York Jets flirt with 0-16, RB Frank Gore says, ‘I can’t go out like that’

Frank Gore, the NFL’s third-all-time leading rusher, doesn’t know if he will be playing football next season. At 37, he wants to make the most of the time he has left in the game. For now, that means one goal.

A win. A single win.nike nfl jerseys wholesale cheap

“You don’t want to go 0-16, especially if this is my last year,” he said Sunday after the New York Jets’ 34-28 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. “I can’t go out like that.

“Hopefully, we can get one. And I can’t wait until we get it. I’ll be so happy. If it is my last year, I can’t say I’m going out 0-16.”

The Jets (0-10) are six losses shy of joining the 2008 Detroit Lions and 2017 Cleveland Browns as the only 0-16 teams in NFL history.

The Jets missed the playoffs for the 10th straight year, as they were mathematically eliminated on Sunday — their earliest elimination since 1990. It’s the second-longest playoff drought in Jets history, one behind the 1970-80 dry spell.4

Gore admitted this could be the most difficult season of his career. He has been a part of two 4-12 seasons, with the Indianapolis Colts in 2017 and the San Francisco 49ers in 2005, his rookie year.

“Yeah, I’d say it’s tough, because it’s the stage of my career,” he said. “I was younger in San Fran and I always felt like, ‘I got time, I got time.’ Now, I don’t know if I’m going to play next year and … I don’t know.

“You just never know. I’ve got to be real with myself, how teams think about my age. They might not want a 38-year-old running back on the team. It’s tough because I don’t know about next year.”

Gore, in his 16th season, rushed for a season-high 61 yards in the loss, scoring his first touchdown for 2020. He now has 15,794 yards, trailing only Walter Payton (16,726) and Emmitt Smith (18,355) on the all-time list.

“You play this game to win,” he said. “What I can say is what keeps me up is how these young kids come in. … I don’t want to say ‘kids,’ I’ll say, ‘young men.’ They come in every week to work their behind off. That keeps me going. I know that they care.”

After getting blown out in six of the first eight losses, the Jets have played competitively in the past two, falling by three points to the New England Patriots and six to the Chargers.

Jets coach Adam Gase dropped to 7-19 in two seasons.nike cheap nfl jerseys

“It’s probably the most frustrated any of us have ever been playing football,” defensive lineman Henry Anderson said.

The Jets could threaten 0-16, as only one of their remaining opponents has a losing record — the Patriots (4-6), whom they face in the finale. Next up is the Miami Dolphins (6-4) at home.

Chicago Cubs’ Ryan Tepera lands MVP vote thanks to misclick

Baseball fans love to argue over who should win big awards. But there likely was no debate Thursday about the most surprising name on the list of players getting National League MVP votes.

That was Tepera, the Chicago Cubs reliever who was 0-1 with a 3.92 ERA during the coronavirus-shortened season.cheap nfl nike jersey

The 33-year-old right-hander received a single 10th-place vote for one point, leaving him tied for 18th in the NL balloting, far behind winner Freddie Freeman. Still, that’s more support than the likes of Bryce Harper, Jacob deGrom and Nolan Arenado drew as they got shut out.4

Tepera struck out 31 in 20⅔ innings over 21 games and pitched in the playoffs for Chicago.

Turns out there was a simple explanation for the vote. It was a mix-up — one that didn’t affect the results in any way.

“I meant to hit Trea Turner and thought I had,” longtime St. Louis Post-Dispatch writer Rick Hummel said. Fondly called “The Commish” by his peers, Hummel in 2006 won the Baseball Writers’ Association of America’s award for excellence that is presented during the Hall of Fame’s induction ceremonies.

Hummel said he intended to click on Turner’s name on a drop-down list, but figures he accidentally clicked Tepera. Turner, the Washington Nationals shortstop, finished all alone in seventh place.

“I should have double-checked it,” Hummel said.cheap nfl jerseys china nike

Dallas Mavericks star Kristaps Porzingis to miss start of NBA season

Dallas Mavericks star big man Kristaps Porzingis will be sidelined to begin the season as he continues to rehabilitate from surgery to repair the meniscus in his right knee, according to Mavs president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson.

The Mavs have targeted Jan. 1 as the date that Porzingis would be cleared to begin on-court activity, Nelson told ESPNnfl nike jerseys cheap china

“We’re going to make sure that that’s 100 percent before we put him out there, so that’s going to be into the season before we are able to have him join us,” Nelson said Monday on 105.3 FM The Fan in Dallas.4

The 7-foot-3 Porzingis underwent surgery in early October to repair the meniscus injury that caused him to miss the final two games of the Mavs’ first-round playoff series loss to the LA Clippers.

Porzingis, 25, who is entering the second season of a five-year, $158 maximum contract, missed a season and a half after tearing the ACL in his left knee in February 2018 in what ended up being his final game with the New York Knicks. He was traded to Dallas a year later, and the Mavs, in consultation with Porzingis and his representatives, opted to have him focus on rehab the remainder of that season.

Porzingis averaged 20.4 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game in his first season in Dallas.

Nelson expressed optimism that center/power forward Dwight Powell, a starter before rupturing his right Achilles tendon on Jan. 21, would be available in at least a limited capacity when training camp opens.nfl cheap nike jerseys

“We’re not going to rush, we’re going to do it the right way, but we’re pretty optimistic that he’ll be able to join us out of the gates,” Nelson said of Powell, who averaged 9.4 points and 5.7 rebounds before his injury last season.

Jakobi Meyers goes with a little razzle dazzle and passes for a touchdown

The New England Patriots turned to a quarterback-turned-receiver for a razzle-dazzle play late in the second quarter of their game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night.nfl nike jerseys for cheap

Trailing 10-7 with 1:10 remaining before halftime, Jakobi Meyers took a lateral from Cam Newton to the left side and lofted a high-arcing pass to running back Rex Burkhead in the end zone for a touchdown. Burkhead adjusted his route at the last moment to snare the delivery.4

Meyers’ touchdown pass had an air distance of 43.6 yards, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. That’s the second-longest air distance — and longest on a touchdown — by a Patriots player this season (54.4 yards from Newton to Julian Edelman in Week 2).

Meyers was a high school quarterback who committed to NC State but switched to receiver in his redshirt freshman season in 2016. Growing up in Georgia, he was selected to the all-star team of Newton’s charitable foundation, so Meyers and Newton have a link that goes back years.

When the Patriots call on trick plays such as that one, it is usually Edelman who does the throwing. He played quarterback at Kent State before switching to receiver with the Patriots, but he’s currently on injured reserve.nike nfl jerseys cheap china

‘Contagious’ energy of Dalvin Cook fueling Minnesota Vikings’ run

A shift took place when the Minnesota Vikings drafted Dalvin Cook 41st overall in 2017.

The franchise that had been centered around the run game over the previous decade with one of the greatest to ever do it — Adrian Peterson — would maintain that identity. But Cook personified the modern running back — a player who was just as dangerous running as he was catching the ball.

Coming off a breakout season in 2019, Cook, 25, signed a five-year, $63 million extension that came with $28.2 million guaranteed. The Vikings paid him as if he is the face of the franchise. And he has delivered.cheap nike nfl jerseys wholesale

After a 1-5 start to the season, the tide appears to be turning in Minnesota, largely because of Cook. In back-to-back wins over the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions, Cook totaled 478 yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns. He made NFL history in that stretch by becoming the first player to score a touchdown on each of his team’s first four possessions against Green Bay. He joined Jim Brown and Deuce McAllister as the only players to record 225 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns in consecutive games.3

Cook has emerged in the MVP conversation and if this recent streak continues, that’s where he’ll stay. And his play has willed his team to the verge of contention at a critical juncture.

They have a way to go, but the 3-5 Vikings are looking to make a playoff push. In essentially a must-win game against the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN), the Vikings will rely on the face of their franchise to continue his remarkable run while carrying his team along with him.

Cook and the Tennessee Titans’ Derrick Henry are in a tug of war for the NFL’s rushing lead. One week, it’s Cook, who captured the lead after running for 206 yards against Detroit. The next, it’s Henry, who regained first place after another 100-yard performance Thursday in a loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

Henry leads the NFL in rushing with 946 yards. But Cook, who has 858 yards, leads in rushing touchdowns (12), yards per game (122.6) and yards after initial contact (2.82), the latter of which is on pace to be one of the best marks in the past 15 seasons.

“I think it’s good for us up front,” Cook said of his offensive line. “Getting that confidence going into the back end of the season, knowing what we’re trying to get done, knowing the identity of who we [are]. I think that’s key for us up front, for the guys up front. It’s always good to be out front in statistics, it just shows the hard work you put in, but I’m big on letting my guys know up front that this thing can be done.“nfl nike jerseys for cheap

Injuries limited Cook to 31 games over his first three seasons, including some nagging issues down the stretch last year. He spent the offseason focused on building strength. He wanted to come back bigger, faster and better able to withstand the wear and tear on his body.

It has paid off. Despite missing a game-and-a half this season because of a groin injury sustained at Seattle in Week 5, Cook hasn’t slowed and has shown he can shoulder a heavy load on offense.

Liverpool’s Jota upset by FIFA 21 upgrade snub

Liverpool forward Diogo Jota has said he feels let down by the 80 rating he has been given in EA Sports’ “FIFA 21” game.

The Portugal international, who joined Liverpool from Wolves in September for £41 million, won the inaugural ePremier League Invitational in April — beating Trent Alexander-Arnold — to show he knows what he is talking about when it comes to FIFA.

“I think they were taken by surprise with my move to Liverpool,” Jota told Portuguese channel TVI. “They thought I was going to stay at Wolves and didn’t even bother to upgrade my card’s attributes.new nike nfl jerseys cheap

“Although I was one of the best scorers in the Europa League, unfortunately, they did not bother to change my card.”

Jota scored 44 goals in a total of 131 appearances for Wolves, including hat tricks in last season’s Europa League wins over Besiktas and Espanyol.

His rating in the virtual football game has remained the same as in last year’s edition.4

Jota has scored seven goals in 11 appearances since joining Liverpool.

The 23-year-old was named Player of the Week in the last round of the Champions League after his hat trick in Liverpool’s 5-0 win over Atalanta.

A big fan of the virtual game since his childhood, Jota has shared his results online with fans.

“I like to play FIFA, I always liked it, it was something I always did and I still do,” Jota said. “After I got home from school, I would do my homework and then I would start playing. I also went to the backyard to play ball, but I always spent a lot of time holding on to the controller. “nike nfl jerseys cheap china

Jota is nevertheless looking forward to receiving his Pro Player Card, a special 99-rated card real-life footballers receive in FIFA Ultimate Team.

“As long as they send me my 99 card, which it seems every professional player is entitled to, I am happy,” he said.

Cleveland Indians’ Shane Bieber unanimously wins American League Cy Young Award

Cleveland Indians ace Shane Bieber was the unanimous winner of the AL Cy Young Award on Wednesday, capping an impressive rise by the right-hander to his status as one of the game’s best pitchers.

Using a versatile repertoire that includes a looping curveball and a wipeout slider, Bieber went 8-1 with a 1.63 ERA and 122 strikeouts in 77⅓ innings during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, leading the majors in ERA and strikeouts and tying Yu Darvish for the most wins.

Bieber became the second player in franchise history to win the AL pitching Triple Crown, joining Hall of Famer Bob Feller in 1940. He was the first pitcher to lead the majors in all three categories since Johan Santana for Minnesota in 2006.cheap nfl nike jersey

Twins right-hander Kenta Maeda finished second in balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, followed by Toronto Blue Jays left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu.4

Bieber was the first unanimous American League winner since Justin Verlander for the Detroit Tigers in 2011. It was the 10th time that an AL pitcher was listed first on every ballot.

“Today’s a good day regardless,” Bieber said. “It just makes it that much better that we were able to take this thing home and that it was unanimous.”

The 25-year-old Bieber, a former walk-on at UC Santa Barbara, was selected by Cleveland in the fourth round of the 2016 amateur draft. He made his major league debut in 2018 and went 11-5 with a 4.55 ERA. He really started to show off his potential last year, winning the MVP award at the All-Star Game and finishing with 15 wins and a 3.28 ERA.nike nfl jerseys cheap china

Before this season started, Bieber got a text from former Indians teammate Trevor Bauer, who was traded to the Cincinnati Reds last year. The right-handers had the same Las Vegas odds for the Cy Young Award.

“I said … why don’t we go 2-for-2, or something like that?” Bieber said.

Bauer on Wednesday became the first pitcher to take home the NL honor for the Reds, the majors’ oldest franchise.

Bieber and Bauer, two California natives, made it an Ohio sweep on the mound in 2020. They are the third pair of former teammates to win Cy Young Awards in the same season, according to research by the Elias Sports Bureau. Greg Maddux and Dennis Eckersley in 1992 and Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello in 2016 also accomplished the feat.

Bieber gives Cleveland its fifth Cy Young Award since CC Sabathia won in 2007. Cliff Lee won in 2008, and Corey Kluber took home the honor in 2014 and 2017. Gaylord Perry in 1972 is the only other Cy Young winner for the Indians.